They Were Just Kids: A Forum for Amari, for Every Child We’ve Lost, and ...

The tragedy that unfolded on November 29, 2025, at a 2-year-old’s birthday party in Stockton, California—where four people, three of them children, were killed—was not simply an isolated act of violence. It was the latest wound in a city that has long struggled with the intersecting crises of poverty, gang culture, and systemic neglect. When children cannot be safe at a birthday party, we are forced to ask a fundamental question: What do we, as a society, owe the next generation?

This forum brings together Patrick Peterson, a father who lost his son; Harry Williams, an artist with a compassionate eye; Michelle Meow, an advocate for equity; and journalist Pendarvis Harshaw—who are all eager to break the cycle. We will examine the root causes that make tragedies like Stockton’s possible—from concentrated poverty and lack of economic opportunity, to underfunded schools and the powerful pull of gang affiliation for young people with few alternatives. We will ask what meaningful violence prevention looks like beyond increased policing, and what it takes to truly break cycles that pass trauma, instability, and danger from one generation to the next.

Stockton’s story is, in many ways, America’s story. The children who survived that birthday party—and the children who didn’t—deserve more than grief. They deserve a future. This forum is a step toward imagining what that future could look like, and what each of us can do to help build it.

The program includes a photo exhibit by Harry Williams sharing the memories of Amari Peterson, one of the victims of the Stockton mass shooting.

About the Speakers

Patrick Peterson is the father of Amari Peterson, a 14-year-old high school freshman whose life was cut tragically short on November 29, 2025. Amari was passionate about sports—football, basketball and track—and was described by his father as “the perfect gift from God.” Every day, without fail, Amari told his father he loved him.

Amari was killed just as the guests at a 2-year-old’s birthday party were about to cut the cake, when gunmen opened fire on a crowd of more than 100 people. Patrick survived the shooting and managed to save his daughter, who was grazed by a bullet, but could not save his son. He rushed to Amari’s side and began performing CPR, but Amari did not survive.

Rather than retreat into silence, Patrick has turned his grief into action. Just weeks after the shooting, he spoke publicly at Stockton City Hall, calling for mental health resources, financial support for victims’ families, and greater investment in violence prevention—and expressed his intention, once his family regains stability, to do community work in Amari’s honor, particularly for local youth. He also traveled to the state Capitol in January 2026, joining survivors, community leaders and lawmakers from across California to demand that the legislature prioritize funding for victim support, prevention programs and harm-reduction initiatives.

Patrick Peterson’s presence at this forum is a testament to the power of a parent’s love—and to the belief that even the deepest loss can be a catalyst for change.

Oakland-raised writer Pendarvis Harshaw is a journalist for KQED Arts, where he covers music, prisons, politics and all things impacting his Northern California community.

Harry Williams was born in 1970 in Columbus, Ohio, and dedicated his life to capturing the stories of marginalized communities through photography. After graduating from West Jefferson High School, he earned his photography degree from The Ohio State University in 1995. In 1999, driven by a passion for exploration, he sold all his possessions to travel and work on a significant body of photographic work. That transformative year took him through Southeast Asia, where he documented the Black Hmong community in Northern Vietnam. This experience broadened his perspective in ways he’d never imagined, igniting his commitment to human connections and storytelling.

He is especially drawn to portraits because of the deep human connection they reveal—the powerful reflection you see when you recognize yourself in someone else’s eyes. He also photographs hands, which, like faces, tell a personal story through their cuts, wrinkles, and textures. He aims to make these tactile details as vivid as possible, so the viewer can almost feel the skin, inviting a connection that’s both visual and visceral.

His current work documents the Jones and Ellis Street community in San Francisco, a marginalized area he hopes to honor by capturing its resilience and vibrancy. He’s honored to share his work both nationally and internationally, including in the 2023 de Young Open. His dedication to cultural representation and community engagement continues to shape his artistic vision, allowing him to contribute a voice to contemporary photography.

Michelle Meow is the producer and host of “The Michelle Meow Show” on KPIX. She is a member of the board of San Francisco Pride, and a member of the Board of Governors of Commonwealth Club World Affairs.

NOTES

Speaker photos courtesy the speakers.

SPEAKERS

Patrick Peterson, Father of Amari Peterson

Harry Williams, Photographer

Moderator: Pendarvis Hershaw, Journalist for KQED Arts

Moderator: Michelle Meow, Producer and Host, "The Michelle Meow Show," KPIX+; Member, Commonwealth Club World Affairs Board of Governors

5 p.m. doors open & check-in
5:30–6 p.m. photo exhibit & fireside chat with Michelle Meow and Harry Williams
6-7 p.m. program with Patrick Peterson and Pendarvis Hershaw
7–8 p.m. reception
(all times Pacific Time)

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